Vampire Knight Manga Series Finale & Special Edition Release

All things come to an end otakus. Vampire Knight series finale will hit from VIZ Media check out the details below. Anime Rules!!!

VIZ Media will deliver the stunning climax to Matsuri Hino’s epic VAMPIRE KNIGHT series with the release of the finale, Volume 19, on October 14th.

The final volume will be available in a special Limited Edition featuring an alternate cover and a hardcover mini art book. The standard edition volume will be available in print and digitally.

VIZ Media will further thrill readers with the release of the VAMPIRE KNIGHT “NIGHT CLASS” Manga Box Set 2 on November 4th, the second VAMPIRE KNIGHT Box Set with volumes 11-19 to complete the series.

On December 2nd, the VAMPIRE KNIGHT: FLEETING DREAMS novel will be released in print and digitally, housing a collection of prose short stories never before released in English. Also being released on that date will be the digital exclusive, VAMPIRE KNIGHT: LIFE, a special new manga chapter by Matsuri Hino!
 
Digital versions of VAMPIRE KNIGHT Vol. 19 will be available for $6.99 (USD/CAN) and VAMPIRE KNIGHT: FLEETING DREAMS for $10.99 (USD/CAN) on the same day of their respective print releases from VIZManga.com and through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones, as well as through the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, Comixology and GooglePlay stores.

“VAMPIRE KNIGHT is a groundbreaking series that has introduced many readers to the shojo manga genre,” says Nancy Thistlethwaite, Editor. “Shojo Beat debuts our first-ever Limited Edition release for VAMPIRE KNIGHT Volume 19! And in December, the VAMPIRE KNIGHT: FLEETING DREAMS novel will feature new illustrations by Matsuri Hino. The digital exclusive chapter, VAMPIRE KNIGHT: LIFE, reveals more of the story from volume 19. Don’t miss out on these special releases in celebration of this beloved manga series!”

In Matsuri Hino’s acclaimed series, the foreboding Cross Academy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy's dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!
 
VAMPIRE KNIGHT Vol. 19 Limited Edition · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $15.99 U.S. / $18.99 CAN · Available October 14th!
Savor the tense finale to Matsuri Hino’s acclaimed paranormal series in a limited edition featuring an exclusive alternate cover and a mini hardcover 42-page art book.
 
VAMPIRE KNIGHT Vol. 19 Standard Edition · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN / $6.99 Digital · Available October 14th!
In the concluding volume to the series, Kaname vows to sacrifice himself. But Yuki vows to sacrifice herself to stop him. Zero takes a weapon in hand to protect what is dear to him. Whether parted for eternity or close enough to touch, they each will always desire their beloved…
 
VAMPIRE KNIGHT Manga Box Set 2 · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $89.99 U.S. / $99.99 CAN · Available November 4th!
Comprehensive manga box set features the second-half of the VAMPIRE KNIGHT manga series, Volumes 11-19, along with the hardcover 42-page art book. Set is contained in a gorgeously illustrated slipcase.
 
VAMPIRE KNIGHT: FLEETING DREAMS · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN / $10.99 Digital · Available December 2nd!
Fans will not want to miss this special collection of manga short created stories by Matsuri Hino and Ayuno Fujisaki based on VAMPIRE KNIGHT! Stories include “Deranged Love,” in which a dying Rido reflects on his obsessive love for Juri. Kaname seeks to reward Yuki for doing well on her studies with tutor Aido in “Gifts for Yuki.” The story of Sara’s first love is revealed in “Hidden Love.” In “Queen of the Abyss,” after Zero parts ways with Yuki and returns to being a vampire hunter, he encounters a vampire named Shien.

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: LIFE (Digital Release Only) · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $2.99 U.S. / CAN · Available December 2nd!
In this exclusive digital manga chapter, Matsuri Hino returns to the events at the end of volume 19.
 
Manga creator Matsuri Hino burst onto the manga scene with her title Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over), which was published in LaLa DX magazine. Hino is renowned as a highly talented artist with a distinctive style and became a published manga artist a mere nine months after she decided to pursue it as a full-time career. With the success of her other popular series, CAPTIVE HEARTS and MERU PURI (both also published by VIZ Media), Hino has firmly established herself as a major force in the world of shojo manga.

Also catch the VAMPIRE KNIGHT and VAMPIRE KNIGHT GUITY anime series, available exclusively on DVD from VIZ Media and featured on the company’s digital anime streaming platform – Neon Alley.

Pokemon BW: Adventures In Unova DVD Set On September 23rd

Hey Poke fans we have some news from VIZ Media. Check it out below.

Pokémon fans will embark on an exciting adventure through the Unova region where they will meet their favorite Pokémon when the home media release of POKÉMON BW: ADVENTURES IN UNOVA DVD SET 1 launches on September 23rd. In BW: ADVENTURES IN UNOVA, Ash and his friends Iris and Cilan have foiled Team Rocket's latest evil plan, and a new danger lurks on the horizon! But first, with eight Gym badges in hand, Ash is ready to take on the region's ultimate challenge: the Unova League, where he'll face familiar rivals and new opponents in his ongoing quest to become a Pokémon Master! Meanwhile, Iris has been having some trouble connecting with her powerful and stubborn Dragonite – can a visit home to the Village of Dragons help sort things out for the aspiring Dragon Master? And what exciting new adventures await our heroes beyond the Unova League? The answers will come as the journey continues!

JoJo's Bizarre Adventures Manga Debuts Digitally With Other New Updates From VIZ Media

Leading off the latest monthly update is the exclusive digital-first premiere of creator Hirohiko Araki’s multi-generational action series, JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: PART 1 – PHANTOM BLOOD Vol. 1. Also available is TIME KILLERS, a stunning single-volume collection of manga short stories by Kazue Kato, creator of the smash hit manga series BLUE EXORCIST, also available digitally by VIZ Media.
 
The VIZ Select imprint will also delight fans with the debut of the previously out-of-print in North America zany gender-bending, high school demon drama KYO KARA MAOH! (launches Sept. 30th).
 
Additional notable updates to popular continuing manga series include the exciting conclusions of MIDNIGHT SECRETARY (Vol. 7; available now ONLY on VIZManga.com and from select partners), DAWN OF THE ARCANA (Vol. 13; available now), BOKURANO: OURS (Vol. 11; available Sept. 16th), ST. LUNATIC HIGH SCHOOL (Vol. 2; available Sept. 30th) and the finale of CHIBI VAMPIRE (Vol. 14; available Sept. 30th). These digital volumes join additions to 12 other popular VIZ Media series that will be updated throughout the month of September.
 
Readers can enjoy these latest manga updates that are available on VIZManga.com and the VIZ MANGA App for the iPad®, iPhone® and iPod® touch, Android-powered smart phones and 7” tablets. The titles may also be purchased through the Nook, Kindle, Kobo, Comixology, iBooks and GooglePlay stores. These dynamic digital platforms offer fans the opportunity to explore and enjoy a massive catalog of new and classic manga titles that spans more than 2,300 volumes across over 200 different series.
 
New Titles Available Now!
 
JOJO’S BIZARRE ADVENTURE: PART 1 – PHANTOM BLOOD, Vol. 1 ·
Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $10.99 (U.S. / CAN)
The legendary Shonen Jump manga series is now available in English for the first time in a deluxe edition featuring color pages and new cover art! JOJO'S BIZARRE ADVENTURE is a groundbreaking series renowned for its outlandish characters, wild humor and frenetic battles. Don’t miss this exclusive digital first debut of the multigenerational tale of the heroic Joestar family and their never-ending battle against evil!
 
TIME KILLERS · Rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens · MSRP: $10.99 (U.S. / CAN)
Explore fantastic realms of imagination in this stunning collection of short stories by Kazue Kato, creator of the smash-hit manga series BLUE EXORCIST! With Kato’s amazing and distinctive art leaping from the page, TIME KILLERS includes her first work, Boku to Usagi (Me and the Rabbit), and features the stories and character designs that would become her breakthrough series, BLUE EXORCIST (also published by VIZ Media). Take off on a flight of fantasy with TIME KILLERS!
 
Other New Titles Debuting In September:
 
KYO KARA MAOH!, Vol. 1 · Rated ‘T’ for Teens · MSRP: $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) · Available Sept. 30th
From the creator of Shinobu Kokoro comes an outrageous, gender-bending, high school demon love story! In this digital series debut from VIZ Select, Yuri Shibuya just can't catch a break. First, he had his head dunked in a toilet. Then he was transported to another world - where he finds himself king of the Mazoku's, a new race that expects him to lead them to war against all of humanity. And to top it all off, he's engaged - to a man!
 
The free VIZ Manga App continues to be the top application for reading digital manga and features a massive library of the most popular series in the world. Through the innovative VIZ Manga digital platform registered users are able to use one account to view their purchased manga across more devices than ever. New series and volumes are added every Tuesday. Fans can also find these titles and more for the NOOK, Kindle Fire, and Kobo ereaders, as well as in the comiXology, iBooks and GooglePlay Stores.
 
All manga volumes are available for purchase and download in the U.S. and Canada within the VIZ Manga application starting from $4.99 (U.S. / CAN) each and readers can also explore all titles with free Chapter 1 previews of every series. For more information, please visit VIZManga.com or www.VIZ.com/apps.
 
Download the free VIZ Manga App for Android and iOS devices at www.VIZ.com/apps.

VIZ Media Debuts Black Rose Alice Manga & Vampire Knight DVD Complete Box Set

BLACK ROSE ALICE, Vol. 1 is now available in print from the Shojo Beat imprint and is rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens. Volumes each carry an MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. Future installments of this continuing series will be released in English on a bi-monthly basis.

A digital version of BLACK ROSE ALICE, Vol. 1 is also available for $6.99 (USD/CAN) from VIZManga.com and through the VIZ MANGA App for the Apple iPad^®, iPhone^® and iPod^® touch, Android-powered smart phones, as well as through the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks and GooglePlay stores.

In BLACK ROSE ALICE, Dimitri Lewandowski is a celebrated tenor in early 1900s Vienna. When he is killed in an accident, his corpse is colonized by the seeds of a vampire master. At first, Dimitri denies that anything has changed, but as the people around him start dying, he is forced to accept the ghastly truth.

“BLACK ROSE ALICE is a dark supernatural romance with a suspenseful storyline that puts its own unique twist on the vampire genre,” says Pancha Diaz, Editor. “After a prologue set in a beautifully rendered 1900s Vienna, the series flashes forward to modern Japan where Dimitri, who has become a fully developed vampire, appears in the dreams of a heartbroken woman to present a sinister proposal – he will save her fatally injured love, for a terrible price!”

Setona Mizushiro’s professional debut, Fuyu ga, Owarou Toshiteita (Winter Was Ending), won the 1993 Shogakukan Manga New Author Award. Her gender bending psychological thriller, After School Nightmare, was nominated for an Eisner Award and also recognized by YALSA as a Great Graphic Novel in 2007.

 

VAMPIRE KNIGHT: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION is available now and is rated TV-14. The 4-disc set is available exclusively on DVD with an MSRP of $44.82 U.S. /$43.24 CAN.

The new box set contains VAMPIRE KNIGHT as well as VAMPIRE KNIGHT GUILTY, for a total of 26 episodes. Gorgeous O-card box art features foil embossed stamping, and a special illustrated chart is also included that shows the relationships between all of the series’ key characters. English dubbed 2.0 audio is available as well as the original Japanese dialogue track with English subtitles.

Yuki Cross can’t remember anything earlier than the day ten years ago when she was saved from a vampire attack by Pureblood vampire Kaname Kuran. Now Yuki, along with her partner, Zero, is a Guardian at Cross Academy, where two groups of students, the Day Class and the Night Class, coexist in relative harmony, despite the fact that the Night Class students are all vampires! But their peaceful existence is threatened when Yuki’s memories of a bloodstained past begin to emerge, and a dark shadow of evil looms ever closer!

“Audiences can return to the ominous Cross Academy and savor the gothic romance and bloodlust, dark characters, and beautiful artwork that have made the VAMPIRE KNIGHT series such a hit among anime fans,” says Charlene Ingram, Senior Manager Animation Marketing. “For the first time, both seasons of VAMPIRE KNIGHT are available in a single complete DVD box set. For anyone that has yet to see this acclaimed series, the new release is also an ideal way to catch it in its entirety.”

VAMPIRE KNIGHT and VAMPIRE KNIGHT GUILTY are based on the best-selling manga series created by Matsuri Hino (rated ‘T+’ for Older Teens; published in North America in-print and digitally by VIZ Media), who burst onto the scene in Japan with her debut title, Kono Yume ga Sametara (When This Dream Is Over) in LaLa DX magazine. With the success of subsequent series such as CAPTIVE HEARTS and MERU PURI (both also published domestically by VIZ Media), Hino has become a major force in the world of shojo manga.

Also don’t miss the VAMPIRE KNIGHT FANBOOK and THE ART OF VAMPIRE KNIGHT, both available from VIZ Media.

For more information on VAMPIRE KNIGHT, or other award-winning anime titles from VIZ Media, please visit www.VIZ.com.

 

 

Sci-Fi Horror Manga Series Terra Formars Coming July 15th

An all new Sci-Fi Horror manga series "Terra Formars" is coming July 15th. You can read the press release below.

The series, illustrated by Kenichi Tachibana with story by Yu Sasuga, will be published under the VIZ Signature imprint, is rated ‘M’ for Mature Readers, and will carry an MSRP of $12.99 U.S. / $14.99 CAN. Future volumes of TERRA FORMARS, which is continuing in Japan, will be released domestically on a bi-monthly basis. In the late 26th century, overpopulation on Earth has reached the breaking point and humanity must find new frontiers. The terraforming of Mars has taken centuries but is now complete.

The colonization of Mars by humanity is an epoch-making event, but an unintended side effect of the terraforming process unleashes a horror no one could ever have imagined… In the opening volume, after humanity’s first manned mission to the Red Planet was lost, a second expedition arrives. The explorers prepare to exterminate the cockroaches that were used to transform the Martian environment, but are shocked to discover that the insects have mutated into giant, aggressive humanoids with one overriding goal – to exterminate all humans! However, this crew of explorers has each undergone the “Bugs Procedure,” a terrifying experimental surgery designed to make them more than human… “Kenichi Tachibana’s crisp and kinetic artwork is the perfect vehicle for Yu Sasuga’s sci-fi action drama that will grab TERRA FORMARS readers from the very first chapter,” says Mike Montesa, Editor. “Step off-world into a stark vision of humanity’s future gone shockingly awry in this intense new horror story that presents the dark side to man’s quest to create new worlds among the stars.”

Yu Sasuga made his debut as a manga writer in Miracle Jump with TERRA FORMARS, a project in collaboration with artist Kenichi Tachibana. TERRA FORMARS was nominated in 2013 for a Manga Taisho award. Tachibana’s previous works include Potchari Maniacs and his 2007 series, Lucky Seven Stars. For more information on TERRA FORMARS, or other manga titles from VIZ Media’s VIZ Signature imprint, please visit www.VIZ.com.

VIZ Media Previews Upcoming Pokemon Manga Box Sets

The POKÉMON ADVENTURES RUBY & SAPPHIRE Box Set and the POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE Box Set 2 are scheduled for release in September. A POKÉMON ADVENTURES DIAMOND & PEARL/PLATINUM Box Set will debut in October. POKÉMON manga are rated ‘A’ for All Ages and each of the forthcoming sets will include a collectible full-color poster.

 

POKÉMON ADVENTURES RUBY & SAPPHIRE BOX SET ·

MSRP: $59.99 U.S. / $79.99 CAN · Rated ‘A’ For All Ages ·

Available Sept. 2014

Ruby’s father Norman is the new Gym Leader of Petalburg City. But Ruby doesn’t want to follow in his father’s footsteps – he wants to win Pokémon Contests! Sapphire’s father Professor Birch is the local Pokémon researcher. But Sapphire is tired of gathering scientific data – she wants to win Pokémon Battles! When Ruby and Sapphire meet, they’re more likely to hit each other than hit it off. But then Sapphire challenges Ruby to a competition! Which of them will achieve their dreams in just eighty days?! Set contains the complete Ruby & Sapphire arc (Vols. 15-22) of the bestselling POKÉMON ADVENTURES series and a collectible color poster!

 

POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE BOX SET 2 · MSRP: $25.99 U.S. / $29.99 CAN · Rated ‘A’ For All Ages · Available Sept. 2014

Meet Pokémon Trainers Black and White! His entire life, Black has dreamed of winning the Pokémon League! Now he embarks on a journey to explore the Unova region and fill a Pokédex for Professor Juniper. White has an exciting career as the Trainer of a talented troupe of performing Pokémon. She dreams of making her Tepig Gigi a star! Together, Black and White continue on their journey... What surprising new Pokémon – and people – will they meet along the way?! Compact manga set includes POKÉMON BLACK AND WHITE Volumes 9–14 and a collectible color poster!

 

POKÉMON ADVENTURES DIAMOND & PEARL/PLATINUM ·

MSRP: $89.99 U.S. / $115.99 CAN · Rated ‘A’ For All Ages ·

Available Oct. 2014

Set contains the complete Diamond & Pearl/Platinum story arc (Vols. 1-11) of the bestselling POKÉMON ADVENTURES series, along with a collectible color poster! Pokémon Trainers Pearl and Diamond are starstruck! Their goal? To perfect their Pokémon comedy act. So how do they wind up as bodyguards to a pampered little rich girl on a quest to reach the peak of Mt. Coronet? Thrills and laughs are guaranteed as the POKÉMON ADVENTURES series continues with POKÉMON DIAMOND & PEARL/PLATINUM.

 

K Review

Ashinaka High School is known for its unique setting: the entire campus is built on an island. Yashiro Isana, aka Shiro, is having lunch with a cat on one of the school rooftops. After his lunch break, Shiro goes on an errand for his classmate Kukuri to prepare for their upcoming school festival, only to be chased by some intimidating-looking men.

VIZ Media Announces Novel Tie In Release For Tom Cruise's Edge Of Tomorrow

VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint supports the upcoming release of the gripping sci-fi action film, Edge of Tomorrow with the release of an official movie tie-in novel on April 29th. The new EDGE OF TOMORROW paperback release will carry an MSRP of $7.99 U.S. / $9.99 CAN. The book features a cover with the official movie poster featuring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt in their title roles from the film. The EDGE OF TOMORROW novel was written by Japanese author Hiroshi Sakurazaka, and was previously published as ALL YOU NEED IS KILL.

The Haikasoru imprint has also announced the May 6th release of the ALL YOU NEED IS KILL official graphic novel adaptation. Written by Haikasoru editor and noted sci-fi author, Nick Mamatas, and featuring full-color artwork by popular comic book artist Lee Ferguson (Green Arrow, Miranda Mercury), the new graphic novel offers a single-volume retelling of the original ALL YOU NEED IS KILL novel that inspired the EDGE OF TOMORROW movie. The graphic novel carries an MSRP of $14.99 U.S. / $17.99 CAN, and features an oversized North American graphic novel trim size of 6 5/8" x 10 ¼”. An eBook edition will also be available worldwide for $8.99 (U.S. / CAN) for the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook Book Store, and the Kobo eBooks Store. North American fans can also access the graphic novel digitally on the VIZ Manga App as well as through VIZManga.com.

The Edge of Tomorrow feature film is slated for U.S. release from Warner Bros. Pictures on June 6th, and will be presented in 3D and 2D in select theaters, and 3D IMAX. The movie is directed by Doug Liman and stars Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt and Bill Paxton.

The story is set in the future when aliens called Mimics invade. Keiji Kiriya is just one of many recruits shoved into a suit of battle armor called a Jacket and sent out to kill. But he dies on the battlefield after only a few minutes, only to be reborn each morning to fight and die again and again. On his 158th iteration, he gets a message from a mysterious ally – the female soldier known as the Full Metal Bitch. Is she the key to Keiji's escape or his final death?

In 2009, ALL YOU NEED IS KILL served as the launch title for Haikasoru, a unique imprint developed by VIZ Media dedicated to publishing the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy for English-speaking audiences. New York Times best-selling author John Scalzi declared ALL YOU NEED IS KILL to be a novel that, "reads fast, kicks ass, and keeps on coming," and it has proven to be one of Haikasoru's most popular titles. Sakurazaka's other novels include Characters (co-written with Hiroki Azuma) and SLUM ONLINE, which was published in English by Haikasoru in 2010.

“Live…die…repeat. ALL YOU NEED IS KILL / EDGE OF TOMORROW delivers a nightmarish, action-packed spin on reliving one’s own triumphs, and failures,” says Nick Mamatas, Editor, Haikasoru. “Catch the original story that inspired the gripping movie with the official movie tie-in edition and in the Western comic book mode with the ALL YOU NEED IS KILL official graphic novel. Both of these debuts are perfect reads leading up to the highly anticipated theatrical debut of Edge of Tomorrow this summer!”

"The ALL YOU NEED TO KILL graphic novel stays very true to the original source novel," says Joel Enos, editor for the new comic. "We made a conscious effort to create something unique that could stand on it's own away from both the original novel, the film and the upcoming manga, but would nicely complement and pay respects to all three! Lee's retro-futuristic art style especially puts ALL YOU NEED TO KILL as a comic into it's own orbit!"

Author Hiroshi Sakurazaka was born in Tokyo in 1970 and published his first novel, Modern Magic Made Simple, in 2003 with Super Dash Bunko, a popular young adult light novel imprint. There are now seven volumes in the series, and it was adapted as a manga in 2008 and became a television anime series in 2009. His 2004 short story, "Saitama Chainsaw Massacre," also won the 16th SF Magazine Reader's Award. Sakurazaka published All You Need Is Kill with Super Dash Bunko in 2004 and earned his first Seiun Award nomination for best of the year honors in Japanese science fiction. In 2010, Sakurazaka started an experimental digital magazine AiR with fellow author Junji Hotta. He remains one of Japan's most energetic writers of both light novels and adult science fiction.

Haikasoru’s Nick Mamatas is the author of several novels, including The Damned Highway (with Brian Keene) and Love is the Law. His short fiction has appeared in Asimov's Science Fiction, Tor.com, Weird Tales, and numerous other venues. He's also written comics for Media Blasters and the Squid Works! Collective and has been nominated for the Hugo, World Fantasy, Bram Stoker, and Shirley Jackson awards.

Artist Lee Ferguson has worked in comics since 2001, when he broke in at Marvel on the 9/11 Heroes tribute book, followed by work on the company's X-Men titles. Since then, he's worked at DC, IDW, and Dynamite, while also putting out Freak, his creator-owned project from Image Comics. His newest book is The Many Adventures of Miranda Mercury, co-created with Brandon Thomas and published through Archaia Comics. In 2012, Miranda Mercury was on YALSA’s Best Graphic Novels for Teens list and was also nominated for four Glyph Awards, including Best Artist.

For more information on EDGE OF TOMORROW / ALL YOU NEED IS KILL and the Haikasoru imprint, please visit www.haikasoru.com.

15th Anniversary Of Battle Royale With New Releases

VIZ Media’s Haikasoru literary imprint commemorates the 15th Anniversary of the original debut of one of the most controversial works of modern Japanese literary fiction with the release of BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED and the BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK: Essays on the Cult Classic Novel by Koushun Takami.

BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED features a brand new translation of the smash hit near-future dystopian thriller along with new cover art by Tomer Hanuka and an afterword by author Koushun Takami. The BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK presents an insightful collection of essays by some of the most important writers of popular fiction on the impact of the novel, related films and manga series on pop culture and the controversy and continuing social debate that has surrounded BATTLE ROYALE ever since its release.

BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED is available now from Haikasoru as a print-only release for $16.99 U.S./ $19.99 CAN, while the BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK is offered in print for $14.99 U.S./$16.99 CAN, as well asan eBook edition for $7.99 (U.S. / CAN) for the Amazon Kindle, Apple’s iBooks Store, Barnes & Noble’s Nook Book Store, and the Kobo eBooks Store.

Haikasoru publishes some of the most compelling contemporary Japanese science fiction and fantasy stories for English-speaking audiences, and is the first imprint based in the U.S. dedicated to Japanese science fiction and fantasy in translation.

BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED, by Koushun Takami · MSRP: $16.99 U.S. / $19.99 CAN · Available Now!
Koushun Takami’s notorious high-octane thriller is based on an irresistible premise: a class of junior high school students is taken to a deserted island where, as part of a ruthless authoritarian program, they are provided arms and forced to kill one another until only one survivor is left standing. Criticized as violent exploitation when first published in Japan—where it then proceeded to become a runaway best seller—Battle Royale is a Lord of the Flies for the 21st century, a potent allegory of what it means to be young and (barely) alive in a dog-eat-dog world. Made into a controversial hit movie of the same name, Battle Royale is already a contemporary Japanese pulp classic, now available in a new English-language translation.


BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK: Essays on the Cult Classic Novel by Koushun Takami · MSRP: $14.99 U.S. / $16.99 CAN · Available Now! 
Koushun Takami’s Battle Royale is an international best seller, the basis of the cult film, and the inspiration for a popular manga. And fifteen years after its initial release, Battle Royale remains a controversial pop culture phenomenon. Join New York Times best-selling author John Skipp, Batman screenwriter Sam Hamm, Philip K. Dick Award-nominated novelist Toh EnJoe, and an array of writers, scholars, and fans in discussing girl power, firepower, professional wrestling, bad movies, the survival chances of Hollywood’s leading teen icons in a battle royale, and so much more!

“BATTLE ROYALE: REMASTERED delivers a new translation of the cult classic the occasion of its 15thAnniversary and presents a prime opportunity to revisit this gripping story, or dive into it for the very first time,” says Haikasoru editor Nick Mamatas. “The BATTLE ROYALE SLAM BOOK is the first-ever English language release to examine the property’s cultural impact from an array of acclaimed writers. We invite readers to discover both of these riveting new releases from Haikasoru!”

Koushun Takami was born in 1969 in Amagasaki near Osaka and grew up in Kagawa Prefecture of Shikoku (the fourth largest island in Japan), where he currently resides. After graduating from Osaka University with a degree in literature, he worked for a newspaper company, Shikoku Shinbun, for five years, reporting on politics, police reports, and economics. Also, he attended Nihon University’s liberal arts correspondence-course program and acquired an English teaching certificate for junior high and high school.

Battle Royale, completed after Takami left the newspaper company, was his debut work and his only novel published so far. With its publication in Japan in 1999, it received widespread support and became a best seller. Battle Royale was serialized as a comic, made into a feature film in 2000, and has been translated into more than ten languages. Since its initial release, Battle Royale continues to be a cult favorite in Japan and internationally.

Naruto Shippuden Movie: Blood Prison Review

Naruto is convicted of a serious crime he didn’t commit and is sent to the inescapable prison, Hozuki Castle. The warden, Mui, quickly seals away Naruto’s chakra to prevent him from rebelling. Refusing to give up, Naruto plans his escape while also befriending his fellow inmates Ryuzetsu and Maroi. 

SCI-FI ANIME SERIES "K" AS FIRST-EVER DVD/BLU-RAY COMBO PACK

K the 13-episode series is rated ‘TV-14’ and will debut as a 4-Disc Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack with an MSRP of $69.99 US/CAN. The standard edition 2-disc DVD edition will be offered at an MSRP of $44.82 US/CAN. An extensive collection of bonus material also makes this release a must-see for anime fans.

 

K introduces viewers to Shiro, an easygoing teenager content with just being a student – until his seemingly perfect life is suddenly halted when a bloodthirsty clan, glowing red with fire, attempts to kill him in the streets. Unbeknownst to Shiro, he is suspected of murdering a member of their clan and will need a miracle to escape their vengeance. Miraculously, a young man named Kuroh Yatogami swings in and aids Shiro in his getaway, only to reveal afterward he's also after Shiro's life. Now a hunted man, Shiro will have to evade the clans of seven powerful kings and desperately try to prove his innocence – before it’s too late!

 

The K Blu-ray/DVD combo pack comes packaged in a luxurious collectible specialty print chipboard box containing a full-color 80 page premium art booklet containing individual episode synopses, character profiles, poster art, translated song lyrics. Additional Limited Edition combo pack extras include: VIZ Presents an Interview with KANAME☆, an insightful segment with one of Japan’s most popular professional cosplayers during his first-ever U.S. guest appearance to celebrate the debut of K at Anime Expo in Los Angeles in 2013; a KANAME☆ as Fushimi Photo Gallery; special K Day Events and convention highlights from Anime Expo including the VIZ Media K panel with cast, staff and special guests; exclusive English cast and crew interviews; the series’ original Japanese and English trailers; and clean opening and ending segments (with English translated and subtitled options), next episode previews and more. A special bonus gift of exclusive full-color K stickers is also available with purchase from select anime retailers including Robert’s Anime Corner and the Right Stuf.

 

“K debuts as VIZ Media’s first-ever Limited Edition Blu-ray/DVD combo pack title, and with its multilayered story, engaging characters, and beautifully rendered animation, this series is guaranteed to delight anime fans across North America,” says Charlene Ingram, VIZ Media Senior Manager, Animation Marketing. “We’ve also packed this release with an array of fun extras that will give viewers the chance to dive into the amazing world of K even more. Don’t miss the release of this kinetic action-filled drama debuting this month!”

Gangsta Vol 1 (Manga Review)

Title - Gangsta: Volume 1
Author - Kohske
Illustrator - Kohske
Pages - 181

Story - In the city of Ergastulum, a shady ville filled with made men and petty thieves, whores on the make and cops on the take, there are some deeds too dirty for even its jaded inhabitants to touch. Enter the “Handymen,” Nic and Worrick, who take care of the jobs no one else will handle. Until the day when a cop they know on the force requests their help in taking down a new gang muscling in on the territory of a top Mafia family. It seems like business (and mayhem) as usual, but the Handymen are about to find that this job is a lot more than they bargained for.

The first volume of "Gangsta" is one hell of an introduction into the city of Ergastulum. The two main characters Nic and Worrick are great for the main protagonist. The mystery between the characters backstories is what kept me reading. Nic is the quiet one out of the two. He doesn't speak unless he has too or has something important to say. Add another interesting fact about Nic is the fact that he is deaf. How did Nic became deaf? How he became so skilled with the sword? What happen to in his childhood? These questions are not yet explained, but it really makes you want to read the next volume. Nic's partner in crime Worrick is the exact opposite of him. Worrick is not only the brains of the operation but I found him to be more intriquing. Worrick life decisions of being a giglo made me question what lead him to that path? How did he get caught up in that line of work? There is no mistake that the revealing of the characters origins will be the focal point of this manga.

The manga exceeds in developing the characters. It also does a great job on the story. The story starts off like any typical crime story, however this one has a little twist to it. Not everything is what it seems in Ergastulum and for the sake of spoilers I won't say anything else. I will say that Kohske leaves the realm of realism and enters a little of fantasy that is refreshing in a crime story. Great plot, great characterization and the support cast is just as entertaining as the main cast.

Art - Gangsta looks spectacular from the first page to the last. There is a lot of close up shots on the characters. The close up's really bring the emotion of the characters on the page. The action is well thought out and adds more heart to the story. The highlight of the art work is the fight between Nic and one of the gang members they encounter. 

Final Grade - 9.0/ A-: Gangsta is a manga that you should check out. It has a fresh plot, great characters with a back stories you want to know about. The support characters are just as great as the main characters, and it has some great action.